Strand splicer

ABSTRACT

Splicer apparatus for textile strands is provided with a strandreceiving chamber having its interior wall striated longitudinally thereof and transversely of a communicating fluidreceiving axis.

United States Patent Malcolm F. Irwin West Chester, Pa. 837,509

June 30, 1969 Mar. 23, 1971 Techniservice Corporation Kennett Square, Pa.

Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee STRAND SPLICER 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 57/22 Int. Cl. B65h 69/06 FieldofSearch 57/34 (F),

Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-McClure, Weiser and Millman ABSTRACT: Splicer apparatus for textile strands is provided with a strand-receiving chamber having its interior wall striated longitudinally thereof and transversely of a communicating fluid-receiving axis.

to this invention;

preceding view; and a STRAND-SPLICE]! This invention relates to apparatus for splicing textilestrands by application of fluid thereto to swirl the strands into mutual inter'engagement. It is. an improvement upon the splicer apparatus of my U.S.' Pat; No. 3,407,583 and copending Pat. applications filed jointly with F. J. E. Hampel, Ser. Nos. 729,819 filed May 16,11968, now U.S'. Pat. No. 3,461,661, and 756,885filed Sept-3, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,615. f

A primary object of the present invention is improved interengagement of textile'strands being=fluid spliced A further object is reductionin fluid requirements for effective fluid-splicing of textile strands.

Other objects of .the present'invention, together with means and methods for attaining the various objects, will be apparent from the following description and-the accompanying diagrams.

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a splicer chamber according FIG. 2 is an end sectional elevation of the chamber of the FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail thereof.

, The objects of the presentinvention are accomplished I through striation of the interiorwall of the strand-receiving chamber of a fluid-actuated splicer; V

' FIG. 1 shows splicing chamber 1 l in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedal block having longitudinal bore 12, defined by interior wall 14 extending from endto end, and having longitudinal slot 13 extending along the :top from'end to end and communicating with bore 12 throughout. Fluid supply tube 18 fits into transverse bore 17 through one side 'of the block rnide tending radially as in a conventional bottle brush may be passed back and forth throughthe bore for that purpose. Alternatively -an aqueous slurry of abrasive particles may be pumped through the bore, after plugging of longitudinal slot 13 and transverse fluid-supply tube 18.

The interior wall is preferably striated rather evenly over substantially its entire cylindrical surface. The depth of individual striations preferably is withinthe range from several thousandths to several hundredths of the chamber bore diameter, which itself normally is many times the diameters of the strands to be spliced or the resulting splice. For ordinary strands to be used in apparel, for example, the bore diameter conveniently is within the range from about a half inch to an inch or so. l

The reasons for the improvement in splice formation resulting from the swirling of the strands'by fluid supplied to the striated chamber of this invention as compared with previous smooth-bore chambers is only imperfectly understood but may be attributable to improved shear characteristics in the flow pattern. Less fluid is needed to. produce a satisfactory splice,,permitting reduction in fluid-supply pressure, decreasin splic ig g costs.

way of its ends and nearer the top than the bottom. The transverse bore terminates essentiallytangentially of the cylindrical interior wall, as shown better in the sectional view' of FIG. 2, wherein arrows indicate fluid flow.

Striations 19 extending substantially longitudinally along interior wall 14 are shown end-on, somewhat stylized rather than photographically, in the enlarged detail view of FIG. 3. For convenience of illustration the striations are shown equally spaced andas having a generally triangular cross section with an apex thereof at the locus of deepest penetration of the wall thereby. It will be understoodjthat spacing of striation may (and normally will) vary, that other cross-sectional striation shapes may be used-dependent largely upon the manner of striating the wall, and that no-single striation need extend from end to end of the longitudinal bore although one, some, or all may do so.

The striations may be formed by passing anabrasive agent through the chamber bore from end to end. If the chamber is made of brass or other relatively soft metal, as it suitably may be, steel wool or a steel wire brush having its bristles exene information concerning how to use a fluid-actuated splicer of this general type may be found in the aforementioned patent and patent applications; Some splicer modifications are suggested therein, and others may be made, as by adding, combining, or subdividing parts, while retaining at least some of the benefits and advantages'of the present invention, which itself is defined in the following claims.

lclaim:

1. In splicer apparatus for textile strands wherein a strandreceiving chamber is adapted to receive fluid for swirling strands therein, the improvement comprising striation of the interior wall of the chamber.

2. Splicer apparatus according to claim I, wherein the interior wall of the chamber is striated substantially evenly thereover.

3. Splicer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interior wall of the chamber is striated substantially parallel to the strand-receiving axis thereof.

' 4. Splicer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlterior wall of the chamber is striated substantially perpendicular to the fluid-receiving axis thereof.'

5. Splicer apparatus for textile strands, comprising a tubular chamber open at its opposite ends and also communicating with the exterior through a slot extending from end to end thereof, having a fluid inlet communicating transversely with the chamber interior, the wall defining the chamber interior being striated longitudinally thereof.

6. Splicer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the depth of striation is on the order of hundredths to thousandths of the chamber interior diameter. v r I 

1. In splicer apparatus for textile strands wherein a strandreceiving chamber is adapted to receive fluid for swirling strands therein, the improvement comprising striation of the interior wall of the chamber.
 2. Splicer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interior wall of the chamber is striated substantially evenly thereover.
 3. Splicer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interior wall of the chamber is striated substantially parallel to the strand-receiving axis thereof.
 4. Splicer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interior wall of the chamber is striated substantially perpendicular to the fluid-receiving axis thereof.
 5. Splicer apparatus for textile strands, comprising a tubular chamber open at its opposite ends and also communicating with the exterior through a slot extending from end to end thereof, having a fluid inlet communicating transversely with the chamber interior, the wall defining the chamber interior being striated longitudinally thereof.
 6. Splicer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the depth of striation is on the order of hundredths to thousandths of the chamber interior diameter. 